Aftermath
by Josef Mojave
Summary: Merlin and Arthur, a short story inspired by "Three" written by TheBird.and.TheBee.  If Merlin was so uncomfortable with the whole incident, how can Arthur make him understand how appreciated he really is?


**A/N: After reading "Three" by .TheBee I wanted to write and Arthur/Merlin ending to the story. I don't own Merlin, or the idea from, which this was derived, I just liked the story so much I wanted to write another scene. (A little AU between Arthur as Prince and King, because I cannot imagine any of this going on with Uther around.) **

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><p>Arthur smiled as he pulled Guinevere closer to enjoy the feeling of her naked breast against his chest. His smile grew as he peaked over at Merlin, who confided himself to the corner of the bed away from the couple. Merlin had tried feverishly to leave after they had finished, Gwen insisted that he spend the night, but in the end only Arthur's order kept him at the edge of the bed, his eyes were streaked with tears as he drifted off to sleep. It was early morning and Guinevere shifted awake, kissing Arthur and moving to climb out of bed.<p>

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked pulling her into another kiss.

"We have to start preparing the banquet, you cannot expect to host another kingdom without showing them the proper respect," She said with a little smile. He was the one who had placed her in charge of making sure that everything would go smoothly within the castle, and yet he still objected to her tending her duties.

"Don't go, someone else can get things started," he said with a wolfish grin.

"We'll be having none of that, Arthur Pendragon; you will not misrepresent yourself just because you don't want to lie in bed alone." She said with a little giggle. She turned over to awaken Merlin, but Arthur stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulder.

"At least let him rest a bit, he needn't be awake until I am," he said gently. Guinevere raised an eyebrow at him for a moment and looked back at Merlin before nodding. She agreed that he should be left to rest, but something about the arrangement made her a bit wary. "Well alright, but be sure that you're both up by midmorning, you do have the council meetings to attend," she said. Guinevere kissed Arthur on the cheek before climbing over him and gathering her clothes to get dressed.

"Yes my lady," he said with a little smile before laying back and watching her attentively as she dressed and left. He had no doubt that she would make the perfect queen, and he loved the way that she looked after him. Guinevere took as much care and almost as much diligence in looking after him as Merlin did. Arthur turned his attention to his servant, his friend. He had been lost in his passions the night before, but the sadness in Merlin's eyes had not escaped him. Neither had the way that the other man closed himself off, acting as if he was an intruder when they shared his body so openly. He had not wanted Merlin to feel that way, he had not wanted the man that he saw almost as an extension of himself to feel so hurt and lonely, he had not known how to express himself with Guinevere in tow, but between the two of them he knew he could make his feelings known.

Arthur scooted across the bed and placed his arm on Merlin's shoulder. He roused slightly, but only opened his eyes when Arthur gently spoke his name. Those deep blue eyes searched the room in the dark, and made every effort not to meet the prince's.

"Arthur… where is Gwen?" He asked shyly, unsure of how to behave in such a foreign situation.

"She has begun her duties already," Arthur paused, grabbing the other man's arm as he attempted to climb out of bed.

"I should get to work then," Merlin said nervously, hoping that he could just leave this incident, and his feelings in the dark—he would have no such luck.

"No Merlin, stay in bed with me," Arthur said gently, yet firmly.

"What am I your royal bed warmer?" Merlin said a bit bitterly, he did not mean to, but he felt used and out of place. Merlin felt he had given in to Arthur's selfish demands enough for the coming days.

"Of course not, you are my dearest friend," Arthur said, struggling to pull Merlin in closer. The two men stared at each other for a long moment, neither speaking until Merlin acquiesced and lay back down only a foot away from the prince, his hand still firmly on the sorcerer's arm.

"What is it you want of me?" Merlin said, his voice flat, he looked at Arthurs chest still avoiding his eyes. He felt so guilty over all of his desires, for Gwen, for the prince, and for having intruded in their most intimate spaces, when he knew in his heart he wasn't wanted.

"Well first of all I want you to stop hiding your eyes from me," Arthur said firmly, loosening his grip and gently caressing Merlin's arm. Merlin let out a sigh, Arthur continuing to caress him even as their eye's finally met. "Do not be distraught Merlin," Arthur said simply.

"How can I not Arthur?" Merlin said his voice weak and defeated as he looked into the princes eyes.

"Why do you say that?" Arthur prodded.

"I have given myself in as a tool of your desire, and I've done so willingly… But everything felt wrong about it, I do not belong in your bed, or in…"Merlin trailed off, already blushing at the thought of mentioning sheathing himself within Guinevere's warmth, he couldn't even find the words to speak of it. He felt so ashamed and out of place.

"Nonsense," Arthur said, trailing his hand over Merlin's shoulder and up to caress his cheek. "I want you here with me."

"I know that you two did not want an illegitimate heir, but is it any better if the future queen bears the child of a lowly servant?" Merlin spat out, Arthur's caresses frightened him, his world had already been thrown so of kilter and he could feel it slouching even further toward the unknown.

"Merlin, don't be like this, I had no intention of hurting you—"

"Well you have." Merlin said, interrupting the prince before he had finished.

"Just shut up and let me talk for a moment, will you?" Arthur said, regretting it as he saw the hurt in Merlin's eyes.

"Yes sire," Merlin said flatly and he stared blankly into the prince's eyes. Arthur let out a deep sigh as he thought of how to respond. In his mind he had though that he could easily convince Merlin of his value—to let him know that he wasn't a tool, but a cherished companion, who had his own permanent place in his heart, but somehow all they could do was argue. Arthur thought of his own boldness the night before, and realized that at this point there was no room to be timid. Arthur pulled the other man into his arms, slowly closing the gap between their naked bodies.

"What are you doing?" Merlin said with a little gasp, as Arthur leaned in and kissed his lips, in an almost shy manner.

"I want you to know that you're more to me than you think," Arthur said, before leaning in and kissing him again. Merlin stayed stiff as the prince pressed their bodies together and ravished him with kisses.

"Arthur stop this," Merlin said uncertainly, already desiring the prince's kisses, but feeling much too vulnerable, too out of place—if Guinevere was to be Arthurs Queen then what could he possibly be?

"No," Arthur said kissing him again.

"I will quit," Merlin said.

"You will not, because I will not let you," Arthur said simply. Their eyes locked for a long moment before either of them spoke. "Merlin, I know you would never leave me. Do not deny me, please," Arthur said more gently.

"What would Guinevere think?" Merlin said plaintively. Arthur's brow furrowed for a moment as he though. "I do not think she would approve of sharing you with the likes of me," he said uncertainly.

"You may be right, but she is not here, and I have already shared her with you. I want you both," the prince said licking those thick lips as he waited for Merlin to agree to be his.

"You selfish prat, you can't have us both," Merlin said anger rising within him, sitting up to jump out of bed, but the prince constrained him once again.

"Do you want to be my one and only?" Arthur asked, licking his lips again. He thought had been about friendship and their relationship, but the more boundaries they crossed together the more Arthur realized that his possessiveness of Merlin only masked a desire, which had always been lurking within his heart.

"Are you daft? You wouldn't leave Gwen for me!" Merlin said angrily.

"So, that is what you want?" Arthur asked, knowing he had gotten himself in further than he could have known. The idea of having to choose between them never seemed even plausible, he felt such a strong love, and a need for them both, and he knew they cared deeply for one another.

"Arthur, how can you ask me these things? How can you do this? How can you muddle everything so horribly?" Merlin asked, his blue eyes shimmering with tears.

"Because of this face!" Arthur shouted. "Because you wore this look of heartbreak, and I only wanted you to feel love! Why is that so wrong Merlin? You promise to sacrifice your life for mine and to follow me to the ends of the earth, you even agree to lay with us, but you would not find comfort in me?" His face growing red as he spoke. He had initiated the whole thing, and yet he had not known where all of this was leading until the words had been spoken. "Please, I do not want to feel you pull away from me."

"…Then I will not…" Merlin said softly, staring down at his hands. He would not confess his feelings to the prince, but he would not continue to deny him either. No matter how angry Arthur's selfishness made him, he knew that he was sincere, and that he only wanted to become closer. Arthur just stared at him, needing more, his bare chest drawing Merlin's attention in the early morning twilight.

"Merlin," Arthur almost growled. "Tell me you need me as I need you," he said trying to keep his composure. Merlin shook his head. "Please," Arthur said his voice breaking. He knew that no show of strength or control would get him what he so deeply desired. "Tell me you need me Merlin," Arthur Pendragon pleaded.

"Why must you hear the words if you already know?" Merlin said softly. "You are such a prat, you always get whatever you want—no-one denies you," Merlin paused as he saw the prince's face fall. He knew if he went too far he would damage the link between them, it was already much too late to keep things from spiraling out of control. "And yet, I could not bear to leave you Arthur, you know that… You know that I feel lost without you."

Arthur's lips were on Merlin's almost as he finished speaking the words. The prince licked Merlin's lower lip before deepening the kiss. They both grew hot and needy as Arthur rolled over on top of Merlin, the only sounds in the morning air was their strained breathing, and the irregular smack of their lips parting as one of them gasped for air. As Merlin felt the prince's rigid shaft brush against his he let out a deep moan, which was enticing enough for Arthur to pull away for a moment and look down on Merlin. Arthur took in Merlin's flushed face, his swollen lips and the wanton look in his deep blue eyes, and Arthur felt his heart swell.

"Tell me you love me," Arthur said in a voice somewhere between a whisper and a growl.

"…Arthur," Merlin said. He considered pushing the prince off of him and sprinting out of his bedchambers, his demands were too unbearable.

"I love you Merlin," Arthur said.

"…Arthur, you can't…" Merlin wanted to scold him, and to escape, but the tenderness in Arthur's eyes, and the sincerity of his words bound Merlin in place like a potent spell.

"I do, Merlin, I do. I need you with me always, so _please_…" He murmured kissing Merlin's lips again, this time more tenderly.

Merlin was overwhelmed by the confession. He had been angry about the Arthur's selfishness even as he kissed him so tenderly, but the way he begged for Merlin to admit his love, and to accept him, made Merlin feel so cherished and important.

"You are impossible, do you know that?" Merlin said with a chuckle, snaking his arms around Arthur's neck for a long, slow kiss. "I do love you Arthur, but you cannot expect me to do everything at your whim in the future." He said more sternly than he meant to.

"I know, I just—" Arthur was cut off with another kiss.

"Just hush Arthur," Merlin said, letting his hands wander down across Arthur's broad sinewy back. "We don't have long before the day begins, we should make the most of it…"

As he declared his intent Merlin lifted his hips ever so slightly so that their shafts rubbed together, making the prince twitch, and startling him out of his bout of humility.

"We should," Arthur said diving in to ravish Merlin's lips with his kisses, before kissing and nipping his way across Merlin's jaw and to his neck where he kissed and nipped at his neck to the point of leaving marks. Merlin let out little mewling moans as he ground his hips up against Arthur's, creating clumsy friction as his hands wandered from caressing Arthurs back down to his thick muscular bottom.

"Arthur," Merlin moaned gently as their shafts twitched against each other and he gripped the prince's ass firmly. He could feel Arthurs seeping cock rubbing against his own as the prince nibbled at Merlin's ear lobe making the warlock twitch and tingle beneath him until he could take the pressure no longer. "Come inside me…" Merlin moaned, embarrassed by the statement even in his wanton state. Arthur let out a chuckle in Merlin's ear, as he caressed Merlin's sides.

"It would be my pleasure," Arthur said, his voice husky with need as he kissed Merlin's lips again. Merlin parted his legs so that Arthur was between them, and he kissed the prince feverishly as he rubbed his seeping head across Merlin's tight opening. Arthurs need eased his entrance for both of them, the slick pre-cum allowing him to enter Merlin more carefully. Their kisses slowed as Arthur carefully entered him until Merlin was filled to the hilt with him and then they just stared into each other's eyes. "I love you, I really do," Arthur said as he looked into Merlin's deep blue eyes. Arthur kept his body still waiting for the other man's response.

"And I you," Merlin said, caressing the prince's cheek gently with one hand. Arthur kissed Merlin's fingers and grinned as he slowly rolled his hips, eliciting a low moan from his partner. Arthur kissed Merlin tenderly as they began a slow rhythm together, one of Arthur's hands on the small of Merlin's back and the other stroking his length between them. As they moved together and their rhythm built up speed Merlin moaned out the prince's name. Over and over, like a spell that made them closer. As Merlin's cock twitched against Arthur's hand and seeped pre-cum across his belly Arthur groaned out his name and stroked him faster as he spilled his seed out inside of him.

"Merlin," Arthur moaned against his lips again as his cock jerked inside of him. With one last stroke Merlin followed Arthur over the edge and spilled his seed across both of their bellies. Arthur let out a little chuckle, this one clam and tired. Arthur kissed Merlin senseless for another long moment; though his arousal was gone he was still just as needy for the warlock's attention.

"Are you satisfied?" Merlin said with a little smirk.

"Yes, very." Arthur said with a big grin as he left himself finally begin to soften within the other man. They lay connected for the longest time, the sky brightening through the bedroom window, and a distant rooster crowing.

"We can't stay like this forever," Merlin said teasingly. He knew that they had better get the day started soon, it would be too easy to get caught, and he had no idea what to say to Guinevere, or how what had happened might change all of them in the future. He was however; glad to be so coveted by his beloved prince.

"Fine then, why don't you go draw a bath?" Arthur said pulling out of him and rolling over, his abruptness injuring Merlin's soft feelings.

"…yes sire…" Merlin said. And he was out of bed, trying to think of how to dress with the sticky sweaty mess across his belly and between his legs. As Merlin looked at his clothing he did not even notice that Arthur had arisen and was holding a silken robe out to him.

"Don't sire me like that. I just meant… if you could draw a bath for us…" Arthur blushed as he eyed Merlin's flushed naked body in the growing daylight, before looking down at his own.

_"Alright,"_ Merlin said slipping into the robe and pulling Arthur in for a soft kiss before running off to the water pump. He heated the water carefully with magic, avoiding the kitchen, knowing that he might run into Gwen and feel guilty once again. He had given into Arthur's selfishness one to many times and felt it rubbing of on him. He wanted to keep the prince to himself as long as possible—forever actually—that is what he thought as Arthur sat in the wash tub behind him and carefully washed his back.

**Fin**


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